Eros
by WildWolf7
Summary: Two of the unspoken rules of relationships is to never have one with your best friend's sibling, or your sibling's best friend. Somehow, Lightning and Vanille have managed to break both of those rules.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Eros  
 **Pairing:** Lanille (Lightning/Vanille)  
 **Beta:** Whurmy  
 **Rating:** M for eventual smut  
 **Words:** 1,827  
 **Song Inspiration:** None  
 **Summary:** Two of the unspoken rules of relationships is to never have one with your best friend's sibling, or your sibling's best friend. Somehow, Lightning and Vanille have managed to break both of those rules.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this fic.

 **A/N:** It's been a while guys! I wanted to do an actual multichaptered fic with a plot for once so here it is. Lanille has grown to be my second favorite pairing behind Farroncest so I thought it would be cool to write a proper story for them. It's only a few chapters long, but I **will** be finishing this fic. I hope you all like it. Enjoy!

-Also guys, if you like the fic or have any constructive criticism, _please_ leave a review. I'd highly appreciate it and it helps me grow as a writer. You guys want more fics from me don't you? :P

* * *

Lightning never paid attention to Vanille.

The younger woman was a shadow, an afterthought, an occasional phrase and giggle behind Lightning's best friend, Fang. Just an insignificant redhead. Or she was the second half to Lightning's sister, an occasional visit, a bite out to eat, or a trip to the mall. Nothing special, and definitely no one worth paying attention to.

Ha. Funny how that works.

* * *

Vanille cuddles into Lightning's shoulder, sitting on Lightning's thigh with attention glued to the movie on TV. It's a nice distraction and allows Lightning to marvel at the form huddled into her side. Vanille's heart races, she notices, and her breath hitches at the climax of the movie. Several hours later and Vanille still smells wonderful, her own scent mingled with a dusting of Lightning's cologne from earlier. Vanille's fingers curl into Lightning's shirt, holding on for dear life, and Lightning smirks to herself.

 _BANG!_

Vanille shakes and shields her eyes. The main protagonist has been shot, and the scene fades to credits rolling up the screen.

"Oh, my goddess. That was so sudden!"

Lightning squeezes her hip. "You think so?"

Vanille shakes her head like it was oh-so-obvious that the movie shouldn't have ended the way it did. "Of course. There was no build up beforehand. And… it just made no sense!"

She sounds frustrated more than anything, but Lightning's seen the movie already and all the plot points foreshadowing the finale. In her opinion, it was the main character's fault for not paying attention to what he was doing. No person in their right mind would leave that much evidence about their shady involvement with the wrong people. Definitely not her favorite story.

Vanille sighs. "Maybe I'm being too serious about it. Is there anything else we can-" Her eyes flash to the clock on the TV. "-oh no, I can't. It's getting late."

Lightning's shoulders slump as Vanille gets up and spins around looking for her belongings. "Your hoodie's in my room."

"Oh, right!" She sprints out of the living room and returns about ten seconds later.

"Shoes are right in front of you."

"Hmm? Oh, thanks!" She scrambles on one leg getting each shoe on. It's cute, the way she dances around, and Lightning stifles a laugh.

"Hey, no laughing. You won't be when I'm gone." Vanille sticks her tongue out.

She's right. This is Lightning's least favorite part of Vanille's visits, and it isn't like she has her sister, Serah, around to keep her company anymore.

Lightning holds back another laugh. "Sorry." She pauses for a few seconds, eyes roaming Vanille's frame. "You know you can stay over, right?"

Vanille shrugs her hoodie on before heading towards the front door. "I know. And I can tell you want me to again. But… Fang is already worried about where I've been, and I don't like when she worries. Maybe next time?"

Lightning nods. "Maybe. You ready?"

Vanille gives a quick nod, and the two leave Lightning's condo. It takes less than five minutes to catch the elevator down to the parking garage, the usual spot where they say their goodbyes. Vanille spots her small car almost immediately and unlocks it with the fob. She turns towards Lightning and flashes a shy grin.

"Well, this is it…"

Lightning doesn't respond, instead closing the distance between the two, pinning Vanille against the driver door. Her hand presses against the hood of the car as Vanille pulls her closer by the nape of her neck. Their eyes meet for a spell before Vanille leans up and drags her lips across Lightning's. They tickle and tease and – Lightning can't _stand_ this toying around – smash together for a good ten seconds before Vanille pulls away.

Vanille blushes beet red. She bites the corner of her lip, Lightning's favorite quirk about her, and glances at Lightning's lips again. She moves in for another kiss, this time with eager tongue.

One hand sneaks around to grasp Vanille's ass, and she gasps, breaking contact. She utters a word under her breath in Oerban, and Lightning smirks at the insult, opening the driver door. Vanille takes one last look at Lightning and leans up, lips brushing her ear.

"Next time, okay?"

A gentle touch lingers below the waistband of her shorts. She shivers from the contact, fighting off inappropriate thoughts. "Mmm… fine. Text me when you make it home."

Vanille giggles and pulls away. "Bye, Lightning."

With that, Vanille gets into her car, closes the door, and drives out of the garage. Once an unimportant redhead Lightning paid no mind, and now she's holding more than just her attention.

* * *

The drive home proves easy enough, if "easy" translates to feeling hot and bothered from that last kiss. Seriously, they've had kisses like that before, but why was _that_ one so… delightful? Ugh, maybe if she's lucky, Fang will leave her alone so she can… take care of herself. Mmm, maybe not.

She steps out of the car, grabbing her backpack in the process. During the short trip upstairs, she makes sure to correct her clothes and smooth out any odd wrinkles before she slips her key into the lock and opens the door.

Fang's voice rings out in Oerban before the door even fully opens. "Holy shit, man."

Great. Vanille isn't going to hear the end of this.

"Do you know what time it is?"

Vanille doesn't answer, instead closing and locking the door and placing her things in their rightful places. Well, duh, she knows the time. It's why she's back in the first place.

"It's after midnight. Where have you been? I've been sittin' my arse on this couch waiting up for you. Did you even get my text? Are you okay?"

Vanille removes her shoes. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, Fang. No need to worry. You worry too much."

Fang stands next to the couch, already clad in sleepwear, and just stares at Vanille with arms crossed. Her usually near-perfect, sable hair is disheveled, and she looks about ready to wrestle a wild king behemoth to the ground. Probably wasn't the best idea for Vanille to ignore her phone the last several hours. She can't help but feel a pang of guilt about her lack of communication, and looks to the ground.

"No, no, no. Don't give me that sappy-ass face. Come here." Fang shuffles closer, arms outstretched.

Vanille feels her head being buried into Fang's shoulder. Warm, as usual.

"Listen, kid. I'm not trying to parent you. I just want to make sure you're okay. You've been staying out late for the last month or so. What's going on?" She pulls away to look at Vanille.

Vanille can't bring herself to stare into those emerald eyes, so she looks away, heart dropping as a blatant fib escapes her mouth, as natural as they come. "I was at the library. Just catching up on work."

Okay, so like, that wasn't _entirely_ a lie. She _was_ at the university library earlier. Just not for very long. A couple hours, maybe? In any case, she's more than caught up on school work.

"Oh. The _library_ , huh?" Something in Fang's voice sounds accusatory. Not that it wouldn't be justified.

Vanille elaborates, pulling away. "Yeah. Finals coming up in about a month. Do you know how hard it is to identify all the bones and muscles in a behemoth's body?"

Fang rolls her eyes, sitting on the couch arm. "Okay, got me there. You're the future vet, not me. Just-" She cups her chin in her hand. "don't keep me up worried, yeah? And check your damn phone, will ya? I didn't feel like cooking after work tonight so you're on your own."

"Oh, that's okay. I already ate." More than just food, but that's neither here nor there.

"Suit yourself." With a sigh, Fang gets up to amble off back to her room. "Oh. One more thing."

Vanille's in the middle of shrugging her hoodie off when she tilts her head at the comment.

"If you're gonna hide those hickies on your neck, do a better job, yeah? I'm headin' to sleep. 'Night."

 _SHIT!_ Vanille immediately covers her neck, as if Fang's staring at her in that instance. How in the hell did she not check that before she walked in? She scurries off to the bathroom, leaving the door ajar, and flicks on the light. She clicks her tongue. Staring right back at her in the mirror are two blazing maroon marks, one near her jugular and the other above her collarbone. She presses a finger to each, sighing.

"Dammit, Light," she whispers.

Well there's nothing to be done about it now. She admits the marks are appealing to stare at, and she's more so intrigued and awed by them than upset. Her lips curl into a smile as she leans over the sink to study them. Somehow, the idea of Lightning Farron, of all people, marking her like territory gets her riled up again. Lightning has made a name for herself being the most notable Sergeant in Bodhum's Guardian Corps. Apparently, the soldiers she commands in her… squad? Fire team? Vanille isn't sure which. They respect her as their fierce leader and look up to her for support. It's such a dramatic difference knowing the serious side of Lightning as well as her more playful and sensual side. Vanille shivers at that thought, mind racing back to exactly how Lightning's lips and teeth claimed her neck.

She soon shakes the thoughts away and finishes up in the bathroom. It's late, and there's still class tomorrow, so bedtime is inevitable. She returns to the living room to grab her phone and realizes she's missed a few texts. Oh, dear. She forgot to tell Lightning she made it home!

In addition to the few texts she's missed from Fang, sure enough there are two messages from Lightning asking where she is. She responds on the way to her bedroom, and, by the time she hops into bed, there's another one waiting for her.

' _Glad you're safe. Going to bed?'_

Vanille bites her lip before she responds. _"I guess so. why? u don't want me to?"_

She sets her bait and anticipates the response. This one is delayed, and she imagines Lightning staring at her phone with her eyes narrowed.

' _No.'_

Straightforward. Very much Lightning. Vanille tingles. She plops her head on the bed, phone in hand next to her face. Her free hand creeps down her abdomen, playing around with the waistband of her pajama shorts.

" _sooo, what do u want?"_

It seems like the next message takes an eternity before it comes in. Vanille reads the words on her phone screen, and her heart drops into the pit of her stomach. She sucks her lip, reading and rereading each word again, every rendition sending her fingers downward until they brush against the fabric of her panties and the hair that lies beneath.

 _Goddess, Lightning…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Eros - Chapter 2  
 **Pairing:** Lanille (Lightning/Vanille)  
 **Beta:** Whurmy  
 **Rating:** M for smut and language  
 **Words:** 4,378  
 **Song Inspiration:** None  
 **Summary:** Two of the unspoken rules of relationships is to never have one with your best friend's sibling, or your sibling's best friend. Somehow, Lightning and Vanille have managed to break both of those rules.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this fic.

 **A/N:** Here's the second chapter. Hope you all like this one. Enjoy!

-Also guys, if you like the fic or have any constructive criticism, _please_ leave a review. I'd highly appreciate it and it helps me grow as a writer. You guys want more fics from me don't you? :P

* * *

If there's one thing Fang hates more than anything, it's bad feelings, especially when those feelings involve her younger stepsister.

Granted, Vanille's an adult; she's more than capable of handling herself, but Fang just hasn't shaken that overprotective barrier with which she shields Vanille. The two have been together since they were toddlers, and Fang's protected her at every step.

The situation Monday night just rubs her the wrong way. For one, Vanille has dated before, though all brief encounters. This time seems different. She's sneaking around, and Vanille – loud, exuberant, bubbly _Vanille_ – does _not_ hide things. Not _usually_ , anyway. God, the girl's so terrible at hiding, she makes Fang look like an ace detective. Fang's no potcat, but she's smarter than the average wild bear. This is a case that needs solving, and she's definitely going to use some help. Vanille won't confess outright.

What a _fucking_ hassle.

Fang leans back in her home office chair, feet crossed over her desk. There's a TV show on in the distance, detailing some drama with people cheating with their significant other's best friends or family members. She scoffs at the ridiculous stories as she thumbs through her contact list. Maybe she's being a bit cuckoo right now, pulling out a full-blown criminal investigation into who the hell is screwing her sister. But it's Vanille, and she'll do anything to make sure she's safe.

Fang scrolls through the list about five times, keeping a mental note of potential names. Lightning is her first thought and immediately dismissed. She and Vanille never interact so there's no need to contact her. Hope moved back to his mother's house so that's a no-go. Serah, though… She's definitely an option. Serah and Vanille became best friends some time after she and Lightning did. The two did practically everything together. It's worth a shot in the dark, at least.

Fang presses the call button, glancing at the clock and cursing when she sees it's midday, in the middle of the week no less; the kid might be in class for all she knows. She's about to give up when there's a very confused "hello" on the other end.

"Uh, hey. Hey, Serah. Whatcha up to?"

"Nothing much. About to head to class soon. Uhm, why, what's up? Is everything okay?"

"No, yeah. I'm fine. Just- hey, listen. I, uh. I got a question, yeah?"

Serah pauses before answering. "Okay, go ahead?"

Goddess, if this isn't the most awkward phone conversation under sixty seconds.

"Serah. Have you been hangin' out with Van recently?"

"Umm… not really. We haven't gotten many opportunities to. Our schedules conflict too much. Why?"

Damn, that's a bummer.

"I'm just- I dunno, she's been acting a bit weird lately, ya know? I think she's-"

"Oh, Fang, hold on a second." Serah's voice moves further away from the phone. "Ugh, dammit, Light."

Fang perks up at the frustration. How weird. She feels like she's heard it before.

"Hey, Fang? Can you text me? I gotta go."

"Sure."

The call ends, and Fang spends the next ten minutes explaining the situation to Serah. When she finishes, she leans back in her chair again, picking up a pen and twirling it between her fingers. Somehow, she feels like it'll be a bit before she gets a response. If anyone could help her, though, it would be Serah, but just her luck that Lightning wanted-

Wait.

What the _fuck_?

 _Dammit, Light…_

The words repeat in her head like a mantra. She flips them over, reverses them, studies them until she shakes her head to rid herself of them. And then it hits her.

"No. No _fucking_ way."

* * *

It's four PM, and Lightning sighs as she sees her patrol relief march into view; she's officially off work. Luckily for her, it's a short walk back to the Guardian Corps. barracks through the crowding streets of Bodhum.

The first peak tourism season hit only just weeks ago. Now, in the middle of April, tourists line the streets like ants. Lightning's grown up around this madness, so it doesn't faze her. What really pisses her off about it is the extra set of precautions GC has to take around those times – more patrols and ten hour workdays. Granted, the pay is nice with the extra days off, but the added stress of tourists who don't appreciate the added security, in turn, tests her patience. Not the most fun of shifts. Still, she gets to watch people marvel at Bodhum's crystal clear water and clean, sandy beaches, and even the various attractions scattered throughout the city. It fills her with a sense of pride to know that people appreciate her home.

Lightning makes it to Lieutenant Amodar's office in record time, giving him a sharp salute across her chest when he picks his head up from the pile of paperwork.

"Ah, Sergeant Farron. Done with your shift, eh?" He gives a hearty chuckle. "Ready for your weekend?"

"Absolutely, Lieu-"

Amodar puts his hand up. "No, no, none of that Farron. You're off the clock, you know this. Speaking of which-" He relaxes back in his chair, and it squeaks. "How are you handling your… situation?"

Lightning crosses her arms. "The same as I have been. Nothing's changed, so that's good."

"Hmm… I see. This… this girl you're seeing. She's okay with you two sneaking around?"

Sneaking? Lightning wouldn't exactly put it that way. More like "selectively withholding information from third parties." But sneaking? Absolutely not.

He narrows his eyes. "Seems like you don't see it that way. Lightning, listen to me. Off the record, what you do on your own time is your business. But you need to be mindful of what you're doing. 'What's done in the dark will always come to light,' as they say." He pauses for a few seconds before laughing to himself. "Ha, come to 'Light.' Good one."

Despite the Lieutenant's amiable and joking nature, Lightning respects him more than anyone she knows. He's been a mentor to her even before she joined Guardian Corps. five or so years ago. While he laughs himself off, she knows the warning is serious and in her best interest.

Nodding, she stares at him, wistful. "I'll… remember that. Thanks."

"No problem. Now, get out of here and go enjoy your weekend, kid," Amodar says, waving her off. "See you on Wednesday."

She nods and exits the office. She pulls her phone out to check the time. It's four-fifteen, and there's an unread text from Vanille. She checks that, too.

' _class til 6. :( see u after?'_

Lightning smiles. It's later than Vanille normally gets out on a Friday, but Lightning's taking what she can get. She responds with a quick "yes." And that alone leaves her with about two hours for a workout and shower.

She returns to her locker, fishing suitable clothing and changing into them. With earbuds now in her ears, she heads down to the gym for a light shadowboxing session, her favorite workout routine. The gym's nearly empty when she arrives.

Lightning sheds her shoes to get into position on the mat. She raises her hands to protect her face and eyes her imaginary opponent. She bobs, ducks, and weaves, moving forward, around, and away from her opponent. She gets lost in her fluid movements, flowing like water to dodge incoming strikes. This is just the warm-up. A good ten or so minutes in, as she's counted through songs, she begins striking. Quick jobs, solid knees. Circling her foe, protecting her face. Then, she mixes the two – fade-away hooks, rear slips and counter uppercuts. Every move translates into the next, natural and flowing.

She's lost herself in her exercises, and before long, her focus snaps when a familiar song starts on her music player. Background music. At least, that's what it was to her that first night she and Vanille fucked just over a year ago. Her focus returns as her thoughts drift to the redhead.

Vanille's a typical flirt. Small, cute, way too forward. Sure of herself and her ability to get anyone and anything she wanted. Ugh, the list goes on. The first time they met was a long time ago, back when they were kids and Lightning had just met Fang. She's older than Serah by several months, but acts younger than she is. Keyword: "acts."

Lightning went to a bar on the night of their encounter, doing nothing but finding the next girl to take home. Vanille had been there, scoping her out, trying to force eye contact. Lightning ignored it at first, very much aware of whom it was she was glancing. So Vanille did what Vanille does and initiated contact. A playful wave here and a bat of her eyelashes there. Vanille _hates_ being ignored.

The two talked for a spell about their sisters and eventually landed on a conversation about themselves and their respective trips to the bar. Vanille was out with her friends, which, thankfully hadn't included Serah that night. She was tipsy; Lightning was sober.

Vanille being Vanille kept making passes at her, touching her, and staying just out of reach. Tipsy or not, Vanille knew exactly what she was doing, and it seemed oh-so practiced and probably successful to others. Lightning _despises_ being played.

As if the bar couldn't be raised any higher, Vanille made it perfectly clear through batting eyelashes and short giggles that Lightning would never get her. Lightning had never been a fan of people telling her she couldn't accomplish something, because it made her want to do it even more. She's grown up with this her entire life. And, quite frankly, that's what happened. After all their dancing around and making a game of the situation, the two ended up back at Lightning's condo for a long and drawn-out fuck with music playing in the background. So who was the real winner, then?

Lightning nears the end of her workout when her thoughts of Vanille escape her. It's been more than an hour since she's started. By now, she has time to go home and shower and wait for her weekend to start. Excited as she is, she can't help but let Amodar's advice swim around in the back of her mind.

* * *

Serah raps on the door to Fang's apartment, waiting for a response. She lifts her hand again before a voice calls out.

"It's open, come in!"

Serah steps through the door, savory aroma assaulting her senses. Closing the front door, she turns the corner to find Fang in the kitchen. Fang hovers over two dishes as if she's just finished preparing them.

"Smells good in here. What did you make?"

Fang looks down at her. Her hair's tied in a messy ponytail. She glances at her work, obviously proud of the result. "Hey, Serah. Eh, nothin' much. Just dinner since you'll be entertaining my frustrations for a bit. My treat."

Serah's intrigued. She's never spent much time around Fang, barely any to be honest. All she knows is that Lightning trusts her with her life, and by extension, so did Serah. Her impression of Fang was always rough-and-tumble with an arrogant attitude to match. Fang being delicate with a meal just shoots all her expectations into the damn stratosphere.

"What? Didn't think I could cook?" Fang stands there with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face. "You _do_ know I'm a chef, right?"

Okay, well, so much for the arrogance.

"Oh. No, Light never mentioned that at all." Serah sets her bag down, eyeing the dish on the table. "What is it? Looks good."

"Figures she wouldn't," Fang replies, rolling her eyes. "This here's a pretty typical Oerban dish. Lots of lean meat, lots of veggies, and a bit of rice. You'll like it, trust me. Everyone likes it."

Serah narrows her eyes at Fang. She's ready to eat, but a dull buzzing interrupts her thoughts. Fang's phone vibrates on the counter.

Fang picks up the phone, and her face twists in annoyance. Oh, god, what's happening now?

Serah grips the edge of the counter as she watches Fang's eyes roam over the screen. She figures it's Vanille, but what the message could be, she isn't sure.

"Fucking typical," Fang growls.

"What's wrong?"

"She just- fuck it. Just read the messages."

Fang shoves the phone into Serah's hands. She huffs, pacing around the kitchen for a minute before retreating into the living room. Wow, maybe it really _is_ that bad.

Serah leans over the table to thumb through the messages one by one. "Oh, dear god…"

"See?!"

Yeah, she totally sees, alright. Fang and Vanille had texted earlier about random things until Fang asked if she had her Friday biology lab. Vanille responded that she did and wouldn't be out until six. Okay, sure, that wasn't a lie. Serah has a vague idea of Vanille's class schedule, but Vanille complains about the lab the most. Nothing unusual there. But the next text, the one that just came in, makes her narrow her eyes. And just-

' _hey Fang. staying over at Serah's tonight k? don't wait up for me~'_

Serah reads it once. A second time. Was she seeing the correct text? Did Vanille _actually_ just use her as an alibi to sneak off somewhere?'

Serah sighs, deep and heavy, as she massages the bridge of her nose and her temples. Her name has been dragged into the situation, and now she wants more than anything to get to the bottom of it.

"Fang. Who do you think even-"

"Lightning," Fang says, returning to the kitchen.

Serah slams the phone down on the table. She places her fists at her hips and stares at Fang. " _Excuse_ me?" There is no way she's going to have _anyone_ accuse Lightning of such a travesty, even Fang.

Fang throws her hands up in defense. "I can explain. Just- give me a few minutes, yeah?" She retreats back into the living room.

Serah tails her, no longer feeling like she has any sort of appetite. She plants herself into a seat and glares at Fang, expecting nothing less than a well-thought-out explanation from such a preposterous claim.

"You'd better explain this _very well_ , Fang."

"Hey, I know how you feel. I'll try my best."

So Serah sits and listens.

* * *

Lightning's knees ache. She needs a break, but Vanille isn't finished yet. Dammit.

"S-stopping already?"

 _Don't you mock me._ Lightning presses her face in harder, spreading Vanille's ass so she's granted better access. She gets a full taste of just how wet Vanille is and no amount of her mocking will deny this fact. She's at _Lightning's_ mercy.

"Ooooh, guess not," Vanille teases, shuddering.

She does this _all_ the time. Succumbing to the illusion of control. Who's the one bent over the kitchen counter right now, panties at her ankles? Certainly not Lightning.

Lightning drives her tongue deeper. Back out. Brushes Vanille's clit. Vanille's legs wobble.

Another break and Lightning throws her own taunt. "What? Can't stand up now? And here I thought you were supposed to be cooking dinner."

Some weird, frustrated groan escapes Vanille before she speaks again, labored. "Mmm… shut up. 'Fore I make you eat my arse too."

Vanille reaches back to palm Lightning's head. Lightning doesn't let the gentleness fool her; it's exuding confidence and maliciousness. Vanille's no stranger to acting like a condescending asshole when they fuck. Just the motions her fingers make in Lightning's scalp scream ulterior motives. However, she pulls Lightning's head back and away, still wobbling on shaky legs.

Lightning nips at Vanille's backside. She needs to relax and so does Vanille. Lightning sits back on her behind, blue eyes roaming up creamy legs. Vanille's panting echoes in the room. Before long, she gathers the strength to turn around, resting elbows on the counter. Lightning studies the hand that moves between reddened thighs to nestle itself in auburn curls, Vanille's feeble attempt to keep her mind focused on their prolonged session.

Lightning runs her tongue over her bottom lip as she stares at Vanille's hand. Vanille picks up on it and chuckles.

"What? You want this?"

Flirty, playful, and seductive, just like Vanille herself. Lightning smirks, looking Vanille up and down. "Yeah."

Emerald eyes lock with aquamarine; underwear slips up shaky legs. "Then help me cook, yeah?"

* * *

Serah massages her temples as she sits cross-legged on Fang's sofa. The entire story made no sense and every bit of sense at the same time. She doesn't really want to believe that this was the conclusion that Fang had come to but… it made _some_ sense, at least. Still, she isn't too ecstatic about having her sister's name dragged through the mud as the accomplice to this crime. It just didn't fit Lightning's usual MO.

Fang sighs, rubbing her head, before making a final statement. "So. Does that seem likely? I know it's kinda a stretch, but throw me a bone here."

"Yeah, I don't know. I just…"

Fang says she heard Vanille using Lightning's name in the bathroom earlier that week, right after Vanille returned home late and Fang had just turned in for the night. That can very well be an easy misunderstanding; it's too far-fetched. Correlation never implies causation.

"Maybe, Fang. I haven't spoken to Vanille all too much the past few weeks. But I also haven't spoken to Lightning much either, especially since I moved in with Snow last semester."

"I think- well, I _know_ Vanille's bein' a little shit. But I think we need some proof on Lightning's part."

Serah glares at Fang, and Fang shrugs in return. Regardless of how she feels about the situation, she still loathes the fact that Lightning could be involved. But, getting some type of confirmation wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

"I'll just ask her then."

"You- _what?_ " Fang leans forward, eyes furrowed. "You're not gonna just… ask her outright, are you?"

Serah raises an eyebrow. "I might as well. Lightning doesn't lie to me."

"And what if she does?"

Serah slings a sharp glare in her direction. _If_ Lightning lies, then she'll know something's wrong, _very_ wrong. She fetches her phone from her pocket and sends her sister a quick, to-the-point message. Her fingers tap away at the screen. In seconds, she's done.

"There."

"So? What'd you say?"

Leaning back into the couch, Serah plays around with her fingers. "I asked her if she's seen Vanille anywhere."

Lightning appreciates direct messages. Worst case scenario, she says yes, but at least they'll have gotten their answer, whatever it is.

She keeps her eyes fixated on her hands, expressing her thoughts out loud. "You know. I'm a bit worried. Outside of the fact that my sister could be dating my _best friend_ , I'm just… worried."

Serah looks up at Fang. Fang seems like she wants to comment on the statement but remains silent.

"Lightning. She… doesn't exactly have the best track record with girls, you know. I'm not sure what it is. She's dated a dozen. Most of them were really nice, some I actually liked. She'll date them for like two months and then nothing. She always says they aren't on the same page, but I think she's just too intimidating." Fang's brows crinkle in confusion, like she's never heard the information before. Serah narrows her eyes, continuing. "Does she not tell you this?"

Fang looks down, her leg bouncing impatiently. "No. Light's never told me anything about her dating life. Always kept it hush-hush. Never knew why. I just never pressed the issue."

Fang cups her head in one hand while the other balls into a fist. Serah immediately wants to retract her statements. Before she ponders on the thought more, her phone buzzes in her lap. Her heart jumps. This is it. Here's the reply.

She unlocks her phone to look at the message.

' _Yes. Why?'_

 _Shit._

"What? What did she say?"

Serah's eyes dart around the room. Fang already looks pissed as it is now, and she doesn't want to escalate the situation, but dammit if this isn't her problem too.

"She said yes."

Fang's eyes darken. She nods slowly. "Elaborate?" For one with a natural drawl to her voice, the enunciation on each syllable of the word shakes Serah to her core. She isn't afraid of Fang, no, but the gravity of the predicament makes her feel small, as if she's somehow caused the problem. The last thing she ever wants is to be the cause of someone else's pain.

"I'll ask." She does.

" _what do you mean yes? where is she?"_

Another waiting game, and Fang's demeanor looks ready to claw a hole through space and time. The wait proves short, and Serah's stomach twists in knots at the message that blinks across her screen.

' _At my place.'_

Serah shakes her head as Fang scrambles from her seat, asking for details. Serah just shows her the messages on the phone.

"No offense, Serah, but I cannot wait to punch her fucking face in."

* * *

Vanille's lips attach to Lightning's neck as Lightning throws her phone onto the love seat. Probably payback for the hickies she gave Vanille earlier that week. Whatever.

"What did you say?" Playful or demanding or maybe a mix of both; Lightning can't tell. But there's hot breath and tongue on her neck so does it really matter?

Lightning threads fingers through auburn hair, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. "Don't worry about it."

Vanille nips at the skin there, words melding into flesh. "Now how would this work if I'm supposed to be at Serah's right now?" A single finger rolls up and down Lightning's abdomen, settling just below her navel. "Tell me how."

Lightning melts at the voice in her ear. Vanille's fingers dance around her navel, half permission and half warning to answer the question. Lips leave her neck and her eyes fly open. Vanille's serious.

She cups Vanille's chin, locking eye contact as Vanille rocks impatiently atop her lap. Their foreheads meet, lips brush, noses press. "You know how this is gonna work?"

"Uh uh. Tell me?" Vanille whispers, breath hitching.

Lightning marks a feather-light trail down Vanille's bare back, massaging every ridge of her spine. She chuckles at the rise of gooseflesh as her words paint Vanille's eager lips.

"You…" she starts, exploring more than just an arching back. "…are gonna let me fuck you again. Until you forget about it. And stay here. Just like we planned."

Vanille's lips curl into a smile against Lightning's mouth. "Yeah? Just like we planned, huh?" She's obviously joking; Vanille just likes to hear herself speak.

"Yeah." Lightning reaches below with her other hand, brushing Vanille against her panties. Vanille jerks back, surprised, then bucks her hips closer. She wants another tease, most likely more. "Because remember," Lightning says, peppering kisses down Vanille's chin, into her neck, and back up to her lips. "Fang and Serah don't talk, right?"

"Mmm…" Vanille's mewl retreats back into her throat, reemerging as a small rumble in the pit of her chest. "Yeaaah. Just like… we don't talk. Right?" A small laugh erupts from her as well, masking her frustration at Lightning's teasing.

Vanille's at that point, Lightning notices, where her voice gets shaky, accent thickens, and words nearly blend back into Oerban. It seems natural to her, like she's safe in her comfort zone without a care in the world. In her own way, Lightning feels the same.

It takes no time before she pulls Vanille's panties down to shove two fingers inside. Vanille's reaction is textbook for her, shaking and shivering and stifling a sharp moan that's swallowed up and silenced by a hungry kiss. Vanille squeezes her thighs, constricting Lightning's waist, as she rests her arms on Lightning's shoulders.

Lightning's starting to really sense it. Vanille does everything to close the distance, but it's barely possible. They can't _get_ any closer, yet Lightning yearns for more. Vanille's body feels _so fucking good_ against hers, meshing well at all the right angles like two puzzle pieces. Their body heat mingles and Lightning finds herself growing dizzy from the touch in the best way possible. This. _This_ is her comfort zone. Her zen.

Vanille breaks the kiss, hissing a sharp "fuck me" on Lightning's lips. A string of mumbled Oerban words follows as she begins a slow grind in Lightning's lap.

There was something different about Vanille the first night that they fucked. Lightning felt it then and she feels it now. After all the other girls she's been with, Vanille has been the only one to keep up with her in mind, body, and spirit. The way they communicate in unspoken words and body language is like nothing Lightning's ever experienced before. Vanille's appetite for sex rivals her own, and it's quite possibly the best revelation Lightning's ever had. It's a match made in Valhalla.

Lightning curls her fingers inside Vanille, and the mewl returns full force with grinding hips and more Oerban words mumbled into her mouth. She's close enough. Lightning thumbs her clit with the same hand. Vanille's cunt constricts her fingers in waves, dripping wet with cum. Lightning stifles the oncoming scream with another ravenous kiss, tongue and all.

Vanille looks about ready to pass out, emerald eyes lidded and hazy. Despite that, there's a certain lingering hunger to her gaze. She smells amazing, and her heady scent permeates the living room, marking it as her territory. She collapses into Lightning's bosom, chest heaving and breaths coming out in huffs. "Goddess, Lightning…" she growls.

Lightning smirks to herself, feeling a small surge of pride. She retracts her soaked fingers, aiming to bring them to her mouth before Vanille snatches her hand. A tongue rolls over her digits and Lightning shifts uncomfortably, studying the exhausted girl cleaning her soaked fingers. What a sight…

Lying on Lightning's shoulder, Vanille stares at her, a small, mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Light?"

She scrunches her brows. "What?"

"Fuck me again, yeah?"

This is what she wanted initially. _This_ is how she connects. Lightning delivers one last feral kiss, and lifts them both off the sofa chair, moving all the way back into the cool confines of her bedroom.


End file.
